Accella Performance Materials, a Carlisle Company, has promoted Joe Negrey to Vice President and General Manager of its Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) Insulation business unit. Negrey will oversee all business operations—helping to advance Accella’s commitment to bringing energy-saving, cost-efficient SPF technology to the North American and global markets.

A veteran within the polymers space, Negrey has more than two decades of process engineering, product development, sales, marketing and manufacturing experience in the polyurethane systems industry. Prior to assuming this current role, Negrey served as Vice President of Accella’s Tire Fill division where, under his leadership, the brand’s foam fill product business for the Off-the-Road tire industry grew to become the recognized international category leader.

Negrey has also served in various other capacities within the Accella brand family, and held positions as Operations Manager, Director of Operations, and Vice President of Operations. His strengths lie in his visionary leadership and strategic planning capability—and excellent team management approach. Negrey holds a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technology from California Polytechnic State University.

At the Shoppes of Johnson’s Landing in Angier, North Carolina, ACC applied a high-solids silicone roof coating on the 20-year-old metal roof to seal penetrations, restore the roof, and provide a white reflective coating. Photos: All-County Contracting (ACC)

Glenn Wujcik, the owner of All-County Contracting (ACC), headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina, has been fascinated with spray rigs since he and his brother first used one in 1979 to insulate a van with spray polyurethane foam (SPF). His company specializes in applying SPF and roof coatings on existing buildings. Lately, he’s found silicone roof coatings are making up an increasing share of his company’s workload.

“The coatings industry in general is booming right now,” Wujcik says. “A lot of the TPO and EPDM roofs are nearing the end of their service life, and instead of tearing them off, if you catch them in time, you can go over it with the silicone coating and get a new 10-year warranty. Silicones have a proven track record. When you put it on properly, it weathers really well. It has excellent elongation.”

Wujcik characterizes himself as a hands-on owner who strives to be on the site for every job. He believes there is an art as well as a science to operating a spray rig properly, and experience is crucial. “I love doing this,” he says. “I’ve been doing it for more than 30 years, my business partner’s been doing it more than 30 years, and our best sprayer has sprayed more than both of us combined. We know what we have to do, we know how long it’s going to take, and we have the right equipment. We are really good about the preparation and the application.”

Coatings and spray foam are excellent products, but only in the right situations, notes Wujcik. They should only be used on the proper substrates and applied in the right conditions. “In spraying, the most important thing is knowing when not to spray,” he says. “Right now, I’m working on a job, and for the last two days, there have been 10-20 mph winds, and I haven’t finished it yet. I told the owner, ‘I haven’t oversprayed anything yet, and I don’t want to.’ I’d rather do it right and not have any problems.”

Wujcik points to a recent project on a mixed-use building in Angier, North Carolina, to illustrate some of the benefits of a silicone roof coating. “It’s a U-shaped building with about 14,000 square feet of roof space,” Wujcik notes. “There’s a bakery, a restaurant, a pharmacy, and a doctor’s office, and there are a lot of penetrations on the roof.”

The penetrations were the site of multiple leaks. Wujcik decided to use a high-solids silicone coating, GE Enduris 3502, to prevent leaks and extend the life of the roof. The monolithic coating will seal the penetrations, and the white reflective surface will provide an additional benefit: reduced cooling bills in the summer. “Putting a white coating on it is going to reduce their energy load in the summer pretty substantially,” he says.

Applying the Coating

On this project, the first step was to pressure wash the existing roof. “That’s where most coating jobs fail — surface preparation,” Wujcik states. “Washing the roof properly is one of the most important steps.”

The high-solids silicone coating was applied to the existing standing seam metal roof. Care had to be taken to ensure all sides of the metal ribs were properly covered with the material. Photos: All-County Contracting (ACC)

The company uses 4,000 psi belt-drive power washers, so care has to be taken not to damage the roof or skylights, which are covered and marked for safety reasons. The company follows all OSHA regulations, which in most cases means setting up safety lines 6 feet from the edge, with stanchions 10 feet apart, to establish a safety perimeter.

“Safety is my number one thing,” Wujcik says, “I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve never had a lost-time accident. I preach safety. That is absolutely the most important — and accidents are expensive.”

The next step is to apply the GE Seam Sealer at the penetrations. “When this roof was originally installed 20 years ago, they did it textbook perfect,” Wujcik notes. “Each 4-inch pipe coming though had at least 20 fasteners holding it down.”

However, over time, the rubber grommets on the fasteners can degrade, and expansion and contraction can take their toll. “We have really hot summers here, we’ve seen roofs where literally thousands of fasteners have backed out,” he says.

The seam sealer is typically applied with a brush. “Any horizontal seams, any termination bars, any penetration that goes through the roof that has a screw, we apply the seam sealer,” he says. “It goes on quite thick — at about 80 linear feet per gallon.”

After the seam sealer cures for one day, the coating is applied. Spraying flat roofs with EPDM, TPO, and PVC membranes is a fairly straightforward process, according to Wujcik. “You basically spray it just like you would spray paint a wall,” he says. “You overlap your spray pattern 50 percent. I’ve been doing it for so many years, and you get a feeling for how fast you can go.”

After the roof was power washed, the seam sealer as applied to the seams and penetrations. After it cured, two coats of the high-solids silicone product were sprayed on the roof. Photos: All-County Contracting (ACC)

A wet mil gauge is used to ensure the proper thickness. Wujcik notes the high-solids silicone formulation has very little shrinkage as it dries. “As we’re spraying, we insert the gauge into the wet coating and it tells you how many mils you have sprayed down. In this case, we were applying to achieve 21 dry mils.”

The spray rig is set up on the ground and operated by one man, while the sprayer and the hose man are working on the roof. “It’s a minimum of a three-man crew per coating rig,” he notes. “You’re dealing with about 6,000-7,000 psi of pressure, so you need special hoses rated for at least 7,000 psi. You never want to kink them. If you busted a hose, by the time someone came down from the roof to the machine, you could pump out 20 gallons on the ground. That’s why you need a ground man.”

Flat roofs are sprayed perpendicular to the roof, but the standing seam metal roof on this project called for a different technique. “On metal roofs with high ridges, if you don’t angle your gun you’ll miss the sides of the ribs,” Wujcik points out. “You have to do it from one direction, working one way, and then turn around and do it from the other direction, working the other way. If you try to spray straight down on the roof, you’re going to miss the nooks and crannies in all of those ribs.”

The surface area of the ribs also has to be taken into account when calculating the amount of liquid that will be applied, notes Wujcik.

The final step in the process is to touch up the applications at the penetrations to ensure a clean look. On vertical surfaces including parapet walls, crews ensure the coating is applied to a uniform height. “On the last day, we take up brushes and rollers and cut in straight lines,” he says. “That really finishes the job. The detailing gives it that final touch.”

Open for Business

The active and open jobsite posed some challenges. “There were a lot of cars around the building, so we had to be very careful not to hit them with overspray,” Wujcik notes. “When you’re working on a plant, you might be able to move all of the cars to a different location, but at doctor’s offices and restaurants, you have traffic in and out of the parking lot all of the time. We can use car covers if there are a few cars there, but when they are in and out like that, it’s not practical, so you have to be very careful when you do the job.”

The job was completed in the winter, and bad weather resulted in some delays. “A job like this in the summertime would have been a weeklong project at most,” Wujcik notes. “This project took almost a month because we had an exceptionally cold winter with a lot of high winds. It took extra time, but that’s my philosophy: If it’s not the right conditions, I just won’t do it.”

The project qualified for a 10-year warranty, and when it expires ACC plans to be there to pressure wash and recoat the roof for another 10-year warranty.

“We inspect our jobs every year,” Wujcik says. He notes that annual roof inspections and routine maintenance are the simplest and most cost-effective ways to ensure the roof’s life span. Yet these steps are often neglected.

“It’s amazing that some of these multi-million-dollar companies don’t send their maintenance guys up on the roof for 10 minutes to check the drains,” he says. “If a roof has 2 inches of pine needles around the drain, the whole roof has to have 2 inches of water on it before it begins to drain. That puts tremendous, tremendous stress on a roof. Keeping your drains clear is really important.”

“We are extremely disappointed with this decision to progress to the next stage of this regulatory debacle,” said Kurt Riesenberg, executive director of the SPFA. ““We know the DTSC’s spotlight on our product has been problematic from the start. The department initially based its position on numerous, unsubstantiated inaccuracies about the product without consulting or verifying those details with our industry’s leaders and through verifiable and adequate research. That resulted in a protracted, multi-year process marred by DTSC inconsistency, confusion, errors, faulty research and false application of interpretations gleaned from other technologies then applied to SPF. DTSC has failed to satisfy its own published regulatory requirements for listing under the SCP program, and failed at every stage to progress per published timelines, stretching this experimental process out years beyond their original vision.”

“Furthermore,” Riesenberg continued “MDI use in SPF has already been reviewed thoroughly by federal agencies that specifically address worker and public health including OSHA, NIOSH and EPA. We ultimately believe this product assessment and listing process is not only riddled with problems, but is redundant and misusing critical taxpayer dollars that are approaching a dangerous shortfall as demonstrated by the California state budget.”

The SPFA has long opposed the DTSC’s targeting of spray polyurethane foam. The DTSC initially identified the product in early 2014 as an initial Priority Product listing without notifying and consulting leaders within the industry for fact gathering and collaboration. This led to inaccurate information about the product being published, damaging the industry’s reputation, the SPF market in California and nationally, and threatening years of coordination and progress between industry and the California Energy Commission (CEC) Title 24 energy efficiency provisions. The DTSC, in September 2014, made corrections to many of those published inaccuracies, but continued with its product assessment process knowing that the agencies whose mission is to ensure the safety of the public and workers had already properly assessed and handled questions about methylene diphenyl diisocyanates (MDI).

According to the SPFA, spray polyurethane foam is a high-performance insulation material providing the highest energy efficiency performance available in the construction marketplace today. When installed in a home or commercial structure, it can reduce the energy demands of that building up to, or more than, 40 percent, which in turn dramatically decreases dependence on the use of fossil fuels for electricity (i.e. for heating and cooling homes and structures). This energy efficiency performance directly contributes to Spray Polyurethane Foam’s wide-recognition as an ideal product for use in Net Zero Energy construction and buildings.

“The energy benefits of spray polyurethane foam are far reaching, positively influencing the environment and energy cost savings, while generating un-exportable highly skilled US jobs and stimulating the economy within the state of California,” added Riesenberg. “Not only that, but the state is aiming for all new residential structures to be Net Zero Energy by 2020, and all new commercial structures to be Net Zero Energy by 2030. The ability of the state to achieve these aggressive energy goals is highly dependent on builders’ access to high performing energy efficient building materials such as Spray Polyurethane Foam. Thus, the DTSC’s listing of a common component of the material as a Priority Product, directly undermines the state’s ability to achieve its own sustainability goals.”

“SPFA stands ready to continue discussions with DTSC and other California state agencies around productive topics of product stewardship, health, safety, performance, installer certification or other topics beneficial to California and its constituents,” said Riesenberg. “But instead we are faced with an advancing failed regulatory process, very significant associated costs to be forced upon the industry to support a long ill-defined alternative assessment process, and continued confusion throughout the state government agencies extending to customers that are relying upon the product’s performance to hit California energy and climate targets.”

“If the DTSC had done its homework in 2013 and 2014 instead of being unduly influenced in the background by special interest groups and SPF industry detractors that have no true interest or concern in California’s energy, climate, economic and employment landscape, I do not believe we would be having any of these conversations,” concluded Riesenberg. “Instead we could be working together to find productive ways to make California stronger, more energy efficient, and more economically robust, while keeping consumers more comfortable in higher-performing homes and buildings with lower energy bills. I still fail to see how DTSC has any option other than to accept their lessons-learned throughout this new regulatory guinea-pig process, drop the proposed listing of SPF, and begin focusing instead upon other actually-documented, high-profile, ubiquitous chemical-product combinations well-known to cause widespread adverse health impacts.”

American International Industries manufactures cosmetics at the facility, and great care had to be taken to ensure no dust or fragments would fall from above and contaminate the products. Photo courtesy of Highland Commercial Roofing.

American International Industries was faced with a conundrum. The roof diaphragm on its 1968, 210,000-square-foot, wood-frame manufacturing facility in Los Angeles had deflection caused by structural settlement, but a full roof replacement was not an option.

“The roof was built without a substantial amount of pitch to it and the plywood deck in between the main purlins had settled over time,” recalls Rick Cunningham, president of Highland Commercial Roofing in Baldwin Park, Calif. “Removing the existing roof and deck and restructuring a roof of this size to return it to its original slope was financially unfeasible.”

American International Industries contracted Ernest Orchard, owner of Irvine, Calif.-based Orchard Roofing and Waterproofing Consultants as a project consultant and owner’s representative who closely monitored the job. Orchard selected a reinforced fluid-applied roof restoration system and brought Highland Commercial Roofing into the project because of the company’s specialization with the process and its expertise in commercial flat roofing in the Southwest. (Highland Commercial Roofing has offices in the Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Oakland, Calif.; and Phoenix areas.)

American International Industries restored sections of its roof with a cold-applied system, spray polyurethane expanding foam and smoke-vent skylights. Photo courtesy of SKYCO Skylights.

According to Ernest Orchard, another critical consideration in selecting a roofing solution had to do with the activities inside the building. “American International Industries manufactures cosmetics here and we couldn’t have any dust or fragments falling from above into the product,” he says. “In addition, the installation was to take place over the winter while the facility remained operational, and we couldn’t have the building open to weather.”

Maury Hall, U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md.

TEAM

The project included 34 dormers that feature double-lock standing-seam copper and fascia metal.

ROOF MATERIALS

Wagner Roofing was awarded the complete replacement of all roof systems. These included an upper double-lock standing-seam copper roof system, a bullnose copper cornice transition, slate mansard, 34 dormers with double-lock standing-seam copper and fascia metal, eight copper hip metal caps and a continuous built-in gutter with decorative copper fascia. Each of the dormers also had a copper window well.

The upper standing-seam roof was removed and replaced with 24-inch-wide, 20-ounce copper coil rollformed into 1-inch-high by 21-inch-wide continuous standing-seam panels that matched the original profile. The eave bullnose, which also served as the mansard flashing, was removed and returned to Wagner Roofing’s shop where it was replicated to match the exact size and profile.

The 34 dormer roofs were replaced with 20-inch-wide, 20-ounce copper coil formed into 1-inch-high by 17-inch- wide continuous standing-seam panels. The decorative ornate fascia of the dormers was carefully removed and Wagner’s skilled craftsmen used it as a template to develop the new two-piece copper cornice to which the roof panels locked. The cheeks and face of the dormers were also re-clad with custom-fabricated 20-ounce copper.

The oversized built-in-gutter at the base of the slate mansard was removed and replaced with a new 20-ounce copper liner custom-formed and soldered onsite. The replacement included a specialty “bull-nosed” drip edge at the base of the slate and an ornate, custom-formed fascia on the exterior of the built-in gutter. The decorative copper fascia included 85 “hubcaps”, 152 “half wheels” and 14 decorative pressed-copper miters. The original hubcap and half-wheel ornaments were broken down and patterns were replicated. Each ornamental piece was hand assembled from a pattern of 14 individual pieces of 20-ounce copper before being installed at their precise original location on the new fascia. The miters were made by six different molds, taken from the original worn pieces, to stamp the design into 20-ounce sheet copper.

In all, more than 43,000 pounds of 20-ounce copper was used on the project.

ROOF REPORT

Maury Hall was built in 1907 and was designed by Ernest Flagg. Flagg designed many of the buildings at the U.S. Naval Academy, including the Chapel, Bancroft Hall, Mahan Hall, the superintendent’s residence and Sampson Hall. His career was largely influenced by his studies at École des Beaux-Arts, Paris. Examples of Flagg’s Beaux-Arts influence can be found in the decorative copper adorning the built-in gutter on building designs.

Maury Hall currently houses the departments of Weapons and Systems Engineering and Electrical Engineering. The building sits in a courtyard connected to Mahan Hall and across from its design twin, Sampson Hall.

Lapolla Industries Inc. has made available FOAM-LOK 2800-4G Spray Polyurethane Foam for roofing.

Lapolla Industries Inc. has made available FOAM-LOK 2800-4G Spray Polyurethane Foam for roofing. The fourth-generation SPF eliminates ozone depletion potential and reduces global warming potential. The rigid, closed-cell SPF may be applied over most new or retrofit roofing substrates. FOAM-LOK locks every portion of the roof into place, creating a monolithic membrane and eliminating the need for mechanical fasteners. The product seals the envelope, which minimizes the escape of conditioned air and dramatically reduces the structure’s energy consumption for heating and cooling, in turn reducing energy costs over the life of the roof. The low-maintenance material also resists wind uplift and acts as a waterproofing solution.

Spray polyurethane foam and photovoltaic systems are increasingly utilized together as
a joint solution for energy savings. With the continued push toward sustainability and growing
movements, like net-zero-energy construction, SPF and PV systems are a logical combined solution for the generation of renewable energy, the conservation of heating and cooling energy, and the elimination of the structure’s dependence on fossil-fuel-consuming electricity sources. Regardless of whether net-zero energy is the end goal, SPF and PV combined in roofing can be quite effective for many structures. Here are some considerations when looking to join these two powerful systems on the roof of a building.

ROOFTOP PV INSTALLATION TYPES FOR USE WITH SPF

Installation of PV systems on SPF roofing will inevitably create additional foot traffic. It is important to protect heavily trafficked areas with additional coating and granules or walk pads.

Rooftop PV systems may be installed on racks or adhered directly to the roof surface. When looking to combine PV with SPF, it is generally not advised to adhere or place the PV panels directly onto the roof surface. Solar heat and water can accumulate between the PV and roof coating which could negatively impact coating performance. Moreover, panels applied directly to a low-slope roof will not be properly aligned with the sun to achieve optimal performance.

Non-penetrating rack systems may be placed directly on a rooftop and held in place with ballast. Racks may also be installed with penetrating supports that require flashings. Each type provides advantages and disadvantages. For example, ballasted racks may block water flow and affect drainage while penetrations require leak- and maintenance-prone flashings. SPF is unique in that it easily self-flashes around penetrating supports.

PV EXPLANATION

PV cells are the basic unit used to convert light to electricity. Many PV cells are bundled together to make a PV panel, or module. PV panels are grouped electrically to create a PV string. Depending on the system size, two or more strings are combined to create a PV array.

The dominant type of PV panel used with SPF roofing is cSi, or crystalline silicon. cSi is a typically rigid panel with a glass and metal frame and may be applied, unlike other dominant PV panel types, via rack installation methods.

A PV system includes many components in addition to the panels. Components include racks, rails, rooftop attachment devices, grounding systems, wiring and wiring harnesses, combiner boxes, inverter(s) and connection to the main electrical panel. Components may also include control modules and storage batteries for off-grid PV system installations.

ELECTRICAL SAFETY

Photovoltaic panels must be handled and maintained with caution. Electricity is produced when a single panel is exposed to light; however, because a panel is not part of a circuit, that electricity will not flow until the circuit is complete. A worker may complete the circuit by connecting the two wires from the backside of a PV panel.

When maintaining a PV system, it may become necessary at some point to disconnect or remove an individual panel from a string or an array. The whole system must be shutdown properly as a precautionary measure to prevent shocks from occurring to workers and arcing between electrical connections. This “shutdown” procedure must be followed with precision as part of a lock-out/tag-out program. This procedure is provided by the inverter manufacturer. Under no circumstances should SPF contractors ever disconnect or decommission a PV panel or system unless they are trained and qualified to do so.

HEAT BUILDUP

Photovoltaic panels convert approximately 15 to 20 percent of light to electricity, leaving the remaining unconverted energy to be released as heat. Additionally, PV panels are more effective when their temperature drops. It is for these reasons that the majority of rooftop PV systems are installed to encourage airflow under panels, which reduces the temperature of the panels, improves conversion efficiency and releases heat effectively. Photovoltaic panels installed 4 to 5 inches above the roof will not change the temperature of the roof and, instead, provide shade to the surface of that roof. This additional shade may extend the life of SPF roof coatings.

LOAD

PV panels add weight to a rooftop and this must be factored into the design and installation. Existing structures should be analyzed by a structural engineer to determine if the additional weight of the PV system is acceptable.

Rack-mounted arrays with penetrating attachments are fairly lightweight at 2 to 3 pounds per square foot, and ballasted arrays add 4 to 6 pounds per square foot. However, with the latter, more ballast is utilized at the perimeters and corners of a PV array. Thus, localized loading from ballast may reach as high as 12 to 17 pounds per square foot, which must be considered. Most SPF roofing systems have a compressive strength of 40 to 60 psi.

Rhino Linings released a complete cool roof system engineered to improve building energy efficiency while extending the service life of new and existing roofs.

Rhino Linings Corp., a manufacturer and distributor of spray-on protective linings, coatings and foam, released a complete cool roof system engineered to improve building energy efficiency while extending the service life of new and existing roofs.

The DuraTite spray polyurethane foam (SPF) roofing system holds a UL 790 Class A fire rating and is designed to provide a lightweight insulation system over various roof constructions and configurations. Unlike traditional roofing methods, DuraTite SPF roofing system offers a high R-value for superior thermal insulation, covers complex geometrical shapes and protrusions and applies directly to existing substrates in new and retrofit applications.

In addition to DuraTite SPF roofing system’s high-performance, it also offers significant life-cycle cost savings. An SPF roofing system is seamless and requires little-to-no maintenance. Roofing topcoats, like DuraTite acrylic, silicone, urethane and polyurea coatings may be reapplied numerous times, increasing the life of the roof.

The complete system combines spray foam with a full range of acrylic, silicone, urethane and polyurea coatings for a total roofing system that insulates, seals and protects. Products in this system include:

Silicone Coatings — DuraTite 1380 and DuraTite 1395 are high-solid, single-component, silicone coatings with low VOCs and excellent chemical and abrasion resistance. When applied, DuraTite 1380 and 1395 form a breathable membrane, making it an ideal choice for new and recoat applications over metals, single-ply membranes, masonry block, concrete and spray polyurethane foam roofing systems where moisture may be present.

DuraTite SPF roofing system guide specifications and five-, 10-, 15- and 20-year warranties are available for use on roof substrates, such as metal, built-up roof membrane, single ply, wood recoat and concrete.

Thanks to an accreditation awarded by the Spray Polyurethane Foam Alliance Professional Certification Program (SPFA PCP), contractors can be confident that CertainTeed operates using the industry’s best practices for world-class spray foam insulation products, technical knowledge and training. CertainTeed is one of the first supplier companies in the spray polyurethane foam (SPF) industry to meet the rigorous demands of the respected professional organization’s certification program.

“We believe excellence in manufacturing the highest quality spray polyurethane foam products is just part of the equation,” says Ken Forsythe, manager of product marketing for CertainTeed Insulation. “Education and proper installation of building materials have always been top priorities with CertainTeed. SPF insulation is one of the more technical products to master, and our SPFA PCP supplier accreditation shows our dedication to partnering with building professionals well after the product leaves the factory.”

The SPFA PCP is an internationally recognized program built for those involved in the installation of spray polyurethane foam. Covering roofing and insulation applications, the program advocates industry best practices and safety. The new SPF Supplier Company Accreditation category is designed to increase the scope of the program, to include additional organizations and individuals which are key to the SPF supply chain, and to provide further distinction for those companies that invest in their people and customers.

“This prestigious achievement signifies CertainTeed’s adherence and commitment to the SPF industry’s best practices,” says Kelly Cook Marcavage, certification director for SPFA PCP. “It is an honor to work with such a dedicated company who shares our demand for the highest of standards and utmost professionalism.”

As part of the accreditation process, select CertainTeed personnel were required to become certified as SPF Insulation Supplier Representatives through the SPFA PCP. Criteria also included supplier offered training programs for contractors and best practices/risk management program verification.

SPF has the ability to insulate, air and water seal, as well as control moisture throughout the structure, acting as a single-source solution, reducing the need for multiple products.

In July 2014, California initiated the revision process to the 2016 version of Title 24, California’s building energy efficiency codes, which are designed to move the state’s residential and commercial buildings toward zero net energy (ZNE). All new residential construction is to be ZNE by 2020, and all new commercial buildings are to achieve ZNE by 2030. While aggressive, these goals are achievable with the right design implementation and accessibility to proper building materials.

As one of the world’s most influential economies, the state of California has demonstrated its power in leading the other 49 states in the implementation of progressive initiatives. California traditionally takes an environmental stance with a history of enforcing regulations designed to protect the physical environment and health of the state’s residents. These efforts often result in national trending with other states and municipalities following suit with similar regulations. It is widely anticipated a similar phenomenon will occur with ZNE goals.

The design of a ZNE building focuses on the reduction of energy consumption and on the generation of the structure’s own renewable energy (such as via solar panel solutions). Long-term ZNE begins with a quality building enclosure. High-performance attics and wall systems are a key focus of 2016 Title 24 as they make a significant impact in the reduction of peak cooling demand in structures.

SPF may be installed in a continuous layer, eliminating thermal bypasses, and boasts one of the highest R-values of all insulation options.

Because of spray polyurethane foam’s unique attributes, the material is widely recognized as an optimal solution for unvented attics, as well as for roofing, walls and ceilings. SPF has the ability to insulate, air and water seal, as well as control moisture throughout the structure, acting as a single-source solution, reducing the need for multiple products.

Energy loss may occur at various points throughout the roof, walls and ceiling via air leakage. Thus the air-sealing ability of SPF is extremely beneficial when trying to improve energy efficiency.

In roofing, SPF acts as a protective roofing solution and as an insulator.

As a thermal insulator, SPF forms in place and fully adheres, almost completely eliminating the cracks and gaps that allow escape of conditioned air. It may be installed in a continuous layer, eliminating thermal bypasses typically found with cavity insulations and boasts one of the highest R-values of all insulation options.

In roofing, SPF acts as a protective roofing solution and as an insulator. The effectiveness of insulation is measured through moisture control, air leakage, health, safety, durability, comfort and energy efficiency factors, and SPF scores exceptional marks in all.

These combined characteristics are integral to SPF’s ability to contribute to total ZNE solutions—solutions, which will become increasingly necessary as the net zero revolution takes hold across the U.S.

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March/April 2019

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About Roofing

Roofing is a national publication that unravels, investigates and analyzes how to properly design, install and maintain a roof system. Through the voices of professionals in the field, Roofing’s editorial provides a unique perspective.